Bottle-filling machine



June' 24, 1924. 1,498,756

A. l. RISSER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed' Oct. 15 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 flan LWTWZZMI 7?- 25,364"

June 24 1924. 1,498,756

- A. 1. RISSER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15. 1923 s Shuts-Sheet ii. i

A. I. RISSER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE June 24, 1924- 3 Sheets-She 5 Filed Oct. 15. 1923 Patented June 24, 1924.

ARTHUR I. RISSER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG'NOR To U. s. BOTTLERS MACHINERY 00., or OHICAGG, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01* ILLINOIS,

BOTTLE-FILLING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR I. RIssnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic machines for filling to a predetermined height each one of a series of bottles passed through the machine; and, particularly, to the class of such machines in which a siphon temporarily inserted in each bottle and in a supply tank is used to convey the liquid from the tank to the bottle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means, automatically operable as a given empty siphon is inserted in the bottle to be filled, for starting the flow of liquid from the supply tank through the siphon into the bottle, thereby doing away with the great difficulties experienced in many devices of the prior art in holding ,enough liquid in the siphon tube while the siphon is disengaged from a bottle just filled and from the tank so that the siphon begins to automatically operate when inserted in the next bottle. A. further object of the invention is to provide especially accurate means for maintaining a constant level of liquid in the supply tank so that successive bottles filled by the mechanism will all ultimately contain the same amount or height of liquid. V

The invention consists in means attaining some or all of the foregoing objects, and other objects; which can be easily and cheaply made; which is satisfactory in use and which is not readily liable to get out of order.

More particularly the invention consists in a device by which suction may be menu 11- tarily applied to a siphon to start the flow of liquid through the siphon into a bottle or other receptacle to be filled and in special means for preventing the destru tion of the operative siphon by the cutting off of the suction after the siphon has started operating and before the receptacle is completely filled. The invention further consists in the features and details of construction hereafter more fully set forth in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals represent the same parts throughout the several views:

"Figure 1 is a side elevation, largely in section, taken on the line 1.--1 of Figure 2, of mechanism illustrating this invention in its-preferred form.

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on the irregular line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, bottom, plan view of the valve, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 6. I

Figure 4 is a detaihside elevation, partly insect-ion, of the siphon mechanism,;taken ontheline'44 of Figure 6.

Figure 5 is a side elevation detail of a coupling taken from the right of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevation on the irregular line 66 of Figure .2, showing the bottle filling mechanism.

The mechanism particularly constituting this invention andv covered by the claims is shown applied towhat is, forthe purposes on avertical shaft 14, journaled inasuitable frame 16'. On shaft 14 is a beveled gear 18, meshing with a beveled pinion 20 on a horizontal shaft 22 driven by asuitable source of power, not shown. At one side of the table'12 is a supplemental table 24 along which travels a bottle conveyor belt 26 driven by a pulley mechanism 28, also driven by said shaft 22 through a detachable clutch mechanism 30 which an operator controls through a conventional handle 34. In the operation of the machine, bottles 36 are carried along by the belt 26 until they strike switch-track 38 which causes them to move over onto table 12 where each bottle is delivered into a notched space 40, provided for it in or on the circular member 42 surrounding thetank' lO, with the result that the rotating table 12 carries the bottles in practically a complete circle under-the filling mechanism hereafter described, and

finally delivers them through trackways 4 4 and 46 back onto the belt 26 which carries away the now filled bottles. The conventional machine of the prior art also includes near its top an annular member 50 supported from the ring 12 by vertical rods 52; a plu rality of bars 54 mounted for vertical reciprocation in suitable recesses or tracks formed in said annular ring 50; cam rollers 56 on said bars 54:; a stationary cam track 58 for said rollers 56, mounted on a. suitable frame 60 rising from under frame 16, the cam track having downwardly turned ends 62.and 64 located preferably but not necessarily as shown on opposite sides of the center of table 12. The result of the construction described is that during approximately one-half of the travel of a given bar 5 1 in its circular path about the vertical axis of the table 12, it travels in the depressed position shown in the lefthand half of Figure 6 and the right hand half of Figure 1. with its roller 56 entirely off from cam 58, and that during the remainder of its said travel, the bar is controlled by the cam 58 being most of the time in the elevated position shown inthe right hand half of Figure 6 and the left hand half of Figure 1, the ascent to said elevated position being along I cam end 62 and the return to the lower position being down cam end 64;.

In equipping this conventional machine with the mechanism of this invention, the lower end of each vertical bar 5% is provided with a suitable coupling or clutch 66 carryin g a siphon 68 having a relatively short arm 70 adapted to enter an adjacent bottle to be filled in approximately the position shown in Figure 4 and a comparatively longer arm 72 entering the liquid tank 10 to a point materially below the level of the liquid 74 which is to be transferred from the tank into the bottle. In the particular embodiment of the invention here illustrated, the coupling 66 is detachably secured to the adjacent bar 54: by means 01. a suitable bolt or set screw 76 and is recessed at its lower end to receive a handle or stem 78 rigid with the siphon tube 68, said stem being detachably rigidly secured in place by set screw 80 in the outer wall of the clutch having its pointed end entering a V-shaped. notch 82 formed in the stem. The stem 7 8 carries one or more projecting lugs 84, each entering a suitable notch 86 provided for it in the lower end of the clutch, the same adapted to prevent rotation of the siphon on avertical axis through the bar 5 1. By thus holding the siphon against rotation and by rigidly securing it through the action of set screw 80, engaging notch 82, each siphon is rigidly, positively positioned for operative work as hereafter described. This feature is claimed in my divisional application, Serial No. 704,558, filed April 7, 1924;.

One of the problems solved by this invention is to provide temporary suction to a given bottle 36 and its adjacent siphon 68 to thereby when the parts are in the position of Figure at cause the siphon to begin to deliver liquidv from tank 10 into the bottle. This result is in the specific embodiment of the invention accomplished by providing the short arm 70 of the siphon with a downwardly open cap or hood 88 having a compressible seal ring 90 engaging the open end of the bottle and providing means operating through a suitable pipe connection 92 entering the side of the cap by which air within the bottle may be drawn through the annular space 93 in the neck of the bottle outside the siphon arm 70 into the corresponding annular space 95 in the cap 88 and thence out through said pipe 92. One bar Set and such siphon equipment therefor is provided for each bottle notch 40 on the table 12 and the hose 92 for each such equipment extends up to, and enters a port 9% provided for it in a valve plate 96 rigidly supported above annular member 50 by any suitable means, such as angle irons 98. The upper surface of plate 96 is recessed to receive and is journalled upon a circular valve plate 100 suitably stationarily supported, as for instance by brackets 102, depending from stationary cross members 104, on the tops of uprights 60 The various ports 94 in valve plate 96 are arranged in a circle about the axis of rotation of members 50 and 96. On the under side of valve plate 100 and in a circle of the same size as that on which the upper, preterably flaring ends 106, of ports 94: are lo' cated are two separated passages 108 and 110. Passage 108 is located substantially directly below the effective lower end of cam end 62 (see Fig. 6) and connects above plate 100 with a vacuum pipe 112 leading to a vacuum pump, not shown, or other suitable means for providing continuous suction in passage 108, the obvious result being that when a bottle, its siphon and its hose member 92 reach the position of Figure 4:, being also that of the center bottle, Figure 6, air in that bottle 36 will be sucked out of it with the result that liquid 74 in tank 10 flows under such suction through discharge port 113 of siphon 68 into the bottle.

The other passage extends, except for the presence of passage 108, substantially around plate 100 and is provided with a pipe 115 open to atmosphere so that all bottles on table 12 whose hose pipes 92 are in communi cation with passage 110 are effectively open to atmosphere with the result that the hose mechanism does not interfere with the nor- 1 and adjacent bottles by the action of cam From the foregoing, it is obvious that as soon as-t'he roller 56 on a given bar 54 descends, cam end 62, thus entering its siphon arm in the adjacent bottle to be fllled to the position of Figures 4 and 6, the suction in pipe 112 starts liquid 74 flowing through port 113 into the bottle and that as soon as table. 12 carries 'that'particular bottle to the left, as viewed in Figure '6, until the port end 106 of the hose 92 of that particular siphon is in register with passage 110, that particular hose 92 will be open to air and the pipe 68 will continue to operate as a normal siphon to deliver liquid 74 into bottle 36 until it is full, without interference by or assistance from the suction apparatus.

As passages 108 and 110 are not interconnected, there must be some sort of a wall 114 between them and oneof the prob' lems solved by this invention is to so proportion this wall that the flow of liquid through a given siphon 'into'the adjacent bottle is not cut oil" andthe siphon destroyed while the hose pipe port 106 of that particu'lar siphon is passing over that wall 114 from passage 108 to passage 110. The problem has been solved by making the width of wall 114 less than cooperating end 106 of port 94 with the result that when the parts are in the position of Figure 3, the adjacent pipe 92 and attached siphon is subject to'slight suction and is also slightly open to the atmosphere via passage 110. Actualtes'ts prove that by the use of this construction, destruction 0]": the siphon is prevented duringthis passage of each pipe port end 106 over wall 114.

In the complete operation of the mechanism, thus far described, bottles are carried one after the other on to, table 12, each one being under a siphon apparatus held in elevated position by cam 58. As the table rotates, the roller 56controlling the siphon for each particular bottle travels down cam end '62 until the parts assume the position of Figure 4, whereupon the suction in pipe 112 starts the siphon. Further movement of the table carries theend 106 of pipe 92 of the particular siphon apparatus across wall 114, first partly admitting air while the suction apparatus is working on the particular bottle and thenshutting oil the suction while fully admittingfatmospheric air. During further travel of the bottle in the position of the left hand half of Figure 6, the siphon continues to till the bottle until stopped by the level in the bottle becoming equal to the level in tank 10. lVhennow the roller ,56 controlling that particular siphon reaches "cam end 64 and travels up to cam 58, the siphon is withdrawn from the bottle/and it isthen carried by the" table to tracks 4446 and thence to belt 26 as described.

In apparatus using vacuum to in any manner fill bottles or the like, it is highly essential that the level of liquid 74 in't'anl'c 10 be maintained constant under all conditions. This result is attained in the mechanism of this invention by making the shaft 14 a hollow pipe with itsupper end entering tank 10, and its lower end connect ed to a hose leading to a special level adjusting apparatus shown at the right of Figure 1.

The right hand end of pipe 120 enters through valve 122 a "tank 124 carried in a frame 126 carryinganti-friction rollers1'28 which travel vertically in guides 130 in an enclosing stationary frame 132. The'fraine 126 and tank 124 is vertically adjustable in frame 132 by a screw 134 rigidly attached to frame- 126 and cooperating wheel 136 bearing on the top of frame 132.

Frame 126 carries a liquid pipe 140, having a downturned end 142 entering tank 124, said pipe being continuously supplied with liquid through a pipe leading to a source not shown. On the lower end of pipe portion 142 is a conventional valve 144 and float 146, shown closed in Figure 1, which shuts off liquid from pipe 310111 entering tank 124 whenever the liquid'74 intank 124 causes float 146'to reach the shown position on pipe end 142 and causes liquid to flow from said pipe end into the tank whenever the liquid in the tank =isso positioned that the float moves downward from the position shown.

As'the liquid 74 in the two tanks is in intercommunication through pipe 120, it is obvious that the operator can by operating wheel 136 to bodily raise or'lower tank 124 and its level control float mechanism change the level of liquid in tank 10 without'raising its cover 150 and without getting in the way of any of its lsiphons. By the use of this apparatus the level of liquid 74 in tank 10 can be adjusted to small fractions of an inch, an important requirement in hottle filling.

This invention is fully described and claimed in divisional application, Serial No. 706,862, filed April 16, 1924. V

The word bottle in the claims includes any receptacle to be filled;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLet- 'ters Patent is 1. In mechanism of the class described,

in combination with a movable table,a: liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on 'the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in the tank, a siphon tube abovet'he edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another membera'dapted 'to'enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle trav'elsto cause thesi-ph'on tp enterthe bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level of the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw from the bottle, and means operative While the siphon is in the bottle creating suction through the siphon long enough to set it in operation delivering liquid from; the tank to the bottle.

2. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a movable table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in thetank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and anothermember adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level of the liquid in the tank and then withc raw from the bottle, and means the siphon is in the bottle creating suction in the bottle long enough to set the siphon in operation delivering liquid from the tank to the bottle.

3. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a movable table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in the tank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another member adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level. of the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw from the bottle, means operative While the siphon is in the bottle creating suction through the siphon long enough to set it in operation delivering liquid "from the tank to the bottle, and means for then admitting air While the suction is eifective and for finally shutting ofi the suction apparatus While continuing to admit air.

4. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a movable table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined con stant level in the tank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another member adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level of the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw from the bottle,

means operative While the siphon is in the operative Whilefrom the bottle, and means bottle creating suction in the bottle long enough to set the siphon in operation de' livering liquid from the tank to the bottle, and means for then admitting air While the suction is effective and for finally shutting ot f the suction apparatus while continuing to admit air.

5. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a movable'table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in the tank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another member adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level oi the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw from the bottle, and means operative substantially coincident With the complete entry of the siphon in the bottle creating suction through the siphon long enough to set it in operation delivering liquid from the tank to the bottle.

6. In mechanism of the class described. in combination with a movable table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bot-tle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in the tank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another member adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level out the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw operative substantially coincident With the complete entry of the siphon in the bottle creating suction in the bottle long enough to set the siphon in operation delivering liquid from the tank to the bottle.

7. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a movable table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in the tank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another member adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the bottle up to the level of the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw from the bottle, means operative substantially coincident With the complete entry of the siphon in the bottle creating suction through the siphon long enough to inseam set it in operation delivering liquid from the tank to the bottle, and means for then admitting air While the suction is effective and for finally shutting oft the suction apparatus While continuing to admit air.

8, In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a movable table, a liquid supply tank on the table, a bottle station on the table adjacent to the tank, means maintaining liquid at a predetermined constant level in the tank, a siphon tube above the edge of the tank having one member adapted to enter a bottle in position on the table and another member adapted to enter the tank, a cam mechanism adapted as the bottle travels to cause the siphon to enter the bottle and tank, remain there long enough to siphon liquid into the' bottle up to the level of the liquid in the tank and then Withdraw from the bottle, means operative substantially coincident with the complete entry of the siphon in the bottle, creating suction inthe bottle long enough to set the siphon in operation delivering liquid from the tank to the bottle, and means for then admitting air While the suction is effective and for finally shutting off the suction apparatus While continuing to admit air.

9. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a liquid supply receptacle and a bottle to be filled, a siphon tube reciprocable into and out of said receptacle and bottle, suction means operable While the siphon is in the bottle for starting the flow of liquid from the receptacle into the bottle, means for so reciprocating the siphon; means for starting the suction through the siphon While it is in the bottle and means for thereafter, While the siphon is still in the bottle shutting off said suction and admitting air through the suction apparatus to the bottle.

10. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a liquid supply receptacle and a bottle to be filled, a siphon tube reciprocable into and out of said receptacle and bottle, sealing means for the neck of the bottle carried by the siphon, suction means operable through said sealing means While the siphon is in the bottle for starting the flow of liquid from the receptacle into the bottle, means for so reciprocating the siphon; means for starting the suction through the siphon While it is in the bottle and means for thereafter, While the siphon is still in the bottle shutting off said suction and admitting air through the suction apparatus to the bottle.

11. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a liquid supply receptacle and a bottle to be filled, a siphon tube reciprocable into and out of said receptacle and bottle, sealin means for the neck of the bottle carrie by the siphon, suction means operable through said sealing means While the siphon is-in thebottle for starting the flow of liquid from the receptacle into the bottle, means for so reciprocat-. ing the siphon means for starting the suotion through the siphon While it 'is in the bottle and means for thereafter, While the. siphon is still in the bottle shutting off said suction and admitting air through said seal to the bottle. I

12. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a liquid supply receps tacle and a bottle to be filled, a siphon tube reciprocable into and out of saidireceptacle and bottle,suction means operable While the siphon is in the bottle for starting the flow of liquid from the receptacle into the bottle, means for so reciprocating the siphon; means for starting the suction through the siphon While it is in the bottle, means for thereafter, While the siphon is still in the bottle shutting off said suction and admits ting air through the suction apparatus to the bottle, and automatic power driven means causing said different moving mechai-i nisms to cooperate as described. i

13. In mechanism of in combination with a liquid supply receptar cle and a bottle to be filled, a siphon tube reciprocable into and out of said receptacle and bottle, sealing means for the neck of the, bottle carried by the siphon,.s.uction means: operable through said sealing means While the siphon is in the bottle for starting the flow of liquid from the receptacle into the bottle, means for so reciprocating the siphon; means for starting the suction through the siphon While it is in the bottle; means for thereafter, While the siphon is still in the bottle shutting off said suction and admitting air through the suction apparatus to the bottle, and automatic power driven means causing said different moving mechanisms to cooperate as described.

14. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a liquid supply receptaole and a bottle to be filled, a siphon tube reciprocable into and out of said receptacle and bottle, sealing means for the neck of the bottle carried by the siphon, suction means operable through said sealing means While the siphon is in the bottle for starting the flow of liquid from the receptacle into the bottle, means for so reciprocating the siphon; means for starting the suction through the siphon While it is in the bottle, means for thereafter, While the siphon is still in the bottle shutting off said suction and admitting air through said seal to the bottle, and automatic power driven means causing said different moving mechanisms to cooperate as described.

15. In mechanism of the class described, in combination With a siphon to be started, a tubular member so operatively connected to the siphon that When suction is applied the class describech to the tubular member it will start the siphon; a suction producing means, a movable valve between the tubular means and said suction producing means, provided with means adapted to selectively connect the tubular member to the suction mechanism or to atmospheric air, said last means being so proportioned that as said valve moves from said full suction to full air position, it momentarily partially opens said tubular member to both suction and atmospheric air for the purposes set forth.

16. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a siphon to be started, a tubular member so operatively connected to the siphon that when suction is applied to the tubular member, it will start the siphon; a suction producing means, a movable valve between the tubular member and said suction producing means, provided with means adapted to selectively connect the tubular member to the suction mechanism or to at mospheric air, said last means being so pro- I portioned that as said valve moves from said full suction to full air position, there is no time when both suction and air are simultaneously shut off from said tubular member.

17. In mechanism of the class described, a movable carrier, a siphon mounted on the carrier for movement into and out of a bottle disposed on the carrier, and means operated by movement of the carrier while the siphon is in the bottle, to successively connect the interior of said bottle with a source of suction and with the atmosphere.

18. In mechanism of the class described, a movable carrier, a siphon mounted on the carrier for movement into and out of a bottle disposed on the carrier, and valve controlled means operated by movement of the carrier, while the siphon is in such bottle, to successively connect the interior of the bottle with a source of suction and with the atmosphere.

19. In mechanism of the class described, a movable carrier, a siphon mountedon the carrier and including a bottle seal, a conduit leading from the seal and opening through the bottle engaging end thereof, and means operated by movement of the carrier to successively connect the conduit with a source of suction and with the atmosphere.

20. In mechanism of the class described, a movable carrier, a siphon mounted on the carrier and including a bottle seal, a conduit leading from the seal and opening through i the bottle engaging end thereof, and a valve device operated by movement of the carrier to successively connect the conduit with a source of suction and with the atmosphere.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ARTHUR I. RISSER. 

